Envoy's Letter Counters Bush on Dismantling of Iraq Army  —  A previously undisclosed exchange of letters shows that President Bush was told in advance by his top Iraq envoy in May 2003 of a plan to "dissolve Saddam's military and intelligence structures," a plan that the envoy, L. Paul Bremer …

Weighing the 'Surge'  —  The U.S. War in Iraq Hinges on the Counterinsurgency Strategy Of Gen. Petraeus.  The Results Have Been Tenuous.  —  BAGHDAD — Nearly every week, American generals and politicians visit Combat Outpost Gator, nestled behind a towering blast wall in the Dora market.

Troop buildup fails to reconcile Iraq  —  POSITIVE NOTE: "There are if you will, mini-benchmarks where things are happening," said U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, pictured with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, right.  Crocker cited Anbar province, where violence has decreased substantially.

Chinese military hacked into Pentagon  —  By Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington and Richard McGregor in Beijing  —  The Chinese military hacked into a Pentagon computer network in June in the most successful cyber attack on the US defence department, say American ­officials.

Your Moment Of Schadenfreude For Today: Bush-Mocking Journalist Piers Morgan Gets His  —  He delighted in mocking the President for falling off his Segway, even going so far as to ask Bush if he felt "only an idiot" could fall off one, but when he tries it himself...  "Only an idiot," indeed.

Why Liberals Are Turning on Ted Kennedy  —  Once upon a time, Ted Kennedy could count on his daily dose of veneration.  The right wing hated the Massachusetts Democrat, but progressives honored him as a defender of old-school liberalism.  —  In a remarkable turnaround, liberals are now heaping scorn on the 73-year-old senator.

Union Endorsement Scorecard  —  Pursuant to Labor Day, and with the steelworkers and miners endorsing Edwards, here is the updated union endorsement scorecard:  — Edwards: United Steel Workers, United Mine Workers of America, International Brotherhood of Carpenters.  2.3 million combined members.

David Cameron 'is trashing Thatcher legacy'  —  A Tory grandee will unveil an alternative manifesto today to recapture the "soul" of the Conservative Party in a move that threatens to undermine David Cameron's leadership.  —  Michael Ancram, a former deputy leader of the party …

The Unintended Consequences of Foreign Aid: Theodore Dalrymple explains how Western policies have poisoned the water supplies of 70 million in Bangladesh  —  Well-intentioned policies can have disastrous outcomes.  Theodore Dalrymple explains how philanthropic Western policies have poisoned …

In the Age of Terror, Isn't Busting Toe-Tappers an Insane Use of Our Law Enforcement Resources?  —  In the consensus judgment of America's 16 intelligence agencies, the terrorist threat to our homeland is "persistent and evolving," placing our country in "a heightened threat environment."

Bush in new book: 'I do a lot of crying in this job'  —  (CNN) - A new book about President George W. Bush claims former deputy chief of staff Karl Rove discouraged the president from naming Dick Cheney as his running mate, and suggests Rove objected to nominating former White House counsel Harriet Miers to the U.S. Supreme Court.

My maths skills show we're safe, says Iranian leader  —  PRESIDENT Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has sought to justify his confidence the US will not attack Iran, saying the proof comes from his mathematical skills as an engineer and faith in God, the press reported today.

Bush can't recall why Iraqi army disbanded  —  In biography excerpts, he says he initially wanted to maintain the forces: 'Yeah, I can't remember.'  —  WASHINGTON — One of the most heavily criticized actions in the aftermath of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 was the decision …